Translator: Cinder Translations
...
Yes, they had effectively become slaves of Earl Paul Grayman now. Moreover, they had long accepted this positioning within themselves.
Without the branding, what difference was there between them and slaves?
"Our Earl... is a benevolent and magnanimous lord," Major Elvin said.
"He believes that your free will should be fully respected, so he has presented you with two paths to choose from."
"The first path is to obediently accept his mark and return to the Horns Bay to resume your identity as mercenaries—of course, as mercenaries of the Grayman family. Under the premise of completing assigned combat missions, you can live just like normal people, oh, just like you did before coming to the Northwest Bay, but you must be ready for tasks at a moment's notice."
"The second path is to continue working here, waiting for the day when Earl Grayman might feel generous enough to pardon your crimes."
"Think carefully about which path you want to choose."
Major Elvin maintained the smile from earlier as he leisurely paced to a nearby armchair, took small sips of tea prepared for him by the labor camp officials, and waited for the responses of the two prisoners.
The autumn sunlight was warm and tranquil, streaming through the windows on the southern wall and casting patches of light and shadow on the floor.
Ribeiro Doug twisted his stiff neck and gazed out the window towards the sunlight.
Since the office was on the second floor and in a favorable position, the mercenary leader was fortunate to observe the camp from a different perspective than usual.
He saw the walls of the labor camp, the tops of which were embedded with sharp wooden spikes to prevent prisoners from escaping. A watchtower stood at the corner. At the southernmost point of the camp, a large black hole caught his eye—that was the entrance to the coal mine, which transported coal out daily. He was busy working with these black stones all day long, and a lot of coal dust had stained that area black.
Nearby, a line of prisoners stood quietly; those were his mercenary comrades, unaware of what had transpired, not knowing what choice their leader faced, and their fates would be altered by this decision. Fergus's men might be standing in another area out of Doug's sight.
His gaze shifted beyond the labor camp, to the green forest, golden wheat fields, winding country lanes, and the wisps of smoke rising from distant homes. A few years ago, these sights beyond the walls were the most ordinary things, but now Doug suddenly felt they were incredibly beautiful. If only he had a brush… huh? When did he start having artistic feelings?
Doug opened his mouth, "I…"
"Major Elvin, can I respond to you tomorrow?" Fergus jumped in first.
"I don't want to make a decision immediately either," Doug added.
Elvin stared at them, watching for a full half-minute.
"Alright, I'll give you time to consider. Before the sun sets tomorrow, I will be waiting in this room. You can come to me anytime once you've made up your minds. Oh, don't forget to tell your comrades about the two options I mentioned. I think everyone has the right to choose freely."
Fergus and Doug exited the office one after the other.
In the corridor, Doug pretended to be confused and asked, "I mean, Fergus, why didn't you immediately agree to the Aldorians' request? It's just a brand, and you could return to the Horns Bay, which you long for."
"Hmph!" Fergus scoffed, "I'm just playing along with that old man. Who do you think I am? I'm a proud warrior! I'm a free spirit! How can I accept the humiliating mark of a slave for a bit of superficial freedom? If I went back to the Bay with that kind of thing, what would those who know me think? As the leader of the Rhino Mercenary Corps, I wouldn't be able to hold my head up for the rest of my life."
He turned to Doug, "Why don't you agree? You shouldn't care about such things."
Doug replied angrily, "Stop looking down on people, you brute! My ancestors are nobles; my bloodline is far more distinguished than yours. Even if I'm physically imprisoned, I will never yield in spirit."
If it weren't for the camp's strict ban on fighting and the severe punishment for it, he would have risked his life to put a few holes in this guy's head.
After that, he ignored Fergus and quickened his pace, striding off on his own.
Behind him, he heard that annoying guy's voice, "Still a bit of Bay man's spirit…"
Doug returned to the earlier clearing where his comrades were still standing. He explained the situation to the guards supervising nearby and then conveyed the two choices presented by Major Elvin to everyone.
With a loud crash, the clearing erupted into chaos.
"I want to go back to the Bay! I want to go back to the Bay!"
"Right? I've had enough of this place."
"But do we have to become slaves?"
"Don't be ridiculous. Aren't you a slave now? Would you rather be a slave who's confined and works every day or a slave who can run around outside?"
Voices of discussion and argument filled the area in an instant.
Doug quietly estimated that it seemed the majority wanted to return to the Bay.
While everyone was busy debating, he slipped behind a building for cover, took a detour, and returned to the front of the camp administration building.
The moment he walked inside, Doug cast aside all his previous hesitations. He had made up his mind—he wanted to go back to the Bay, even if it meant carrying a mark of shame.
In fact, when Elvin had presented the choices, he had almost spoken out about returning to the Bay; it was that damn Fergus who had interrupted him, causing him to hesitate again.
Now that Doug had made his decision, to hell with face! He just wanted to go back.
His entire body and mind suddenly relaxed, and even his steps felt lighter as he unknowingly arrived in front of Major Elvin's office door.
Doug reached out his right hand, gripping the doorknob tightly, silently repeating: forest, wheat fields, smoke, I'm coming… Ah, I need to knock first.
After three knocks, a heavenly voice called from inside, "Come in."
He tightened his grip on the doorknob, applied a little force, and pushed the door open.
"Fergus?"
A person he hadn't expected appeared in his sight.
Fergus also saw him; the broad face of the Rhino Mercenary Corps leader began to change color rapidly, turning red, redder, and redder, until it resembled a boiled crab shell.
"Doug, you thick-browed, big-eyed…"
TL: Hahaha😂🤣
(End of the Chapter)
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Translated 4 Series, 1.65K+ Chapters and 2.01M+ Words.